POUGHKEEPSIE, NY July 2, 2013 — Thirty years ago, Rob Dyson raced a 1983 Firebird in his first professional race at the IMSA Coca-Cola Three Hours of Lime Rock. He had been racing in the SCCA since 1974 but moved into professional racing on that Memorial Day.  Of the thirty-seven cars entered that day, only one team still racing today: Dyson Racing.  The team will be officially commemorating their thirtieth anniversary at the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park next weekend, July 5 – 6. 

Many of the team’s milestones over the past thirty years have occurred at Lime Rock Park, their home track with their shop less than an hour away.  Two years after first running the 1983 Firebird, Rob Dyson moved up to an IMSA GTP Porsche 962 and debuted the car at Lime Rock in May of 1985 and won the first time out. The following year, the Lime Rock GTP race was the first professional pole for the team. The team also gave Mazda its first P2 victory at Lime Rock in 2009. And Lime Rock is special for Chris Dyson as he began his racing career here at the age of seventeen in the Skip Barber Racing School and scored his earliest SCCA victories.
 
Recent years have seen the continuation of the team’s winning ways at Lime Rock.  Chris Dyson won the P1 pole in 2011, and Guy Smith set fastest lap on the way to a dominant win, the pair leading 165 laps of the 187 lap race.  Last year, Guy Smith set a pole record and Chris and Guy finished second and the team won the Michelin Green X challenge.
From 1985 on, Dyson Racing continued to race the Porsche 962 during the golden years of GTP racing against the factory teams of Nissan and Jaguar and took home twelve wins and twenty additional podiums. In 1995, they moved to a Ford-powered Riley and Scott which netted them thirty-six wins over eight years including two  24 Hours of Daytona victories in 1997 and 1999 and several championships.  From 2002 to 2006, they ran AER-powered Lolas and from 2007 to 2008, two Porsche RS Spyders in the ALMS. 

In 2009, the team partnered with Mazda in the ALMS.  The team won at Mid-Ohio in 2010, giving Mazda its first overall IMSA/ALMS victory.  In 2011, Dyson Racing ran the table of championships, winning a total of five including the Drivers Championship with Chris Dyson and Guy Smith, the Manufactures Championship with Mazda, the Team Championship and the Michelin Green X Challenge.  Last year, Guy Smith’s 0.083 margin of  victory at Road America set the record for the closest ever overall finish in ALMS history. Also in 2012, Chris Dyson celebrated his 100th ALMS start at Baltimore and the team scored their 200th podium at Mid-Ohio

he history of Dyson Racing provides a comprehensive overview of sports car racing in North America for the past thirty years.  The team has won championships and races in the American Le Mans Series, International Motor Sports Association, Grand-Am, World Sports Car, the United States Road Racing Championship, and World Sports Car. All told: nineteen championships, seventy  victories, sixty-eight poles and two hundred and eight podiums.  Past drivers include James Weaver, Butch Leitzinger, Andy Wallace, Marino Franchitti, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Bobby Rahal, Price Cobb, Drake Olson, Johnny Dumfries, Oliver Gavin, Jan Lammers, John Paul, Jr., Scott Pruett, Dorsey Schroeder, Vern Schuppan, Max Papis, Andy Lally, Hurley Haywood, Ron Fellows, and Scott Sharp.      

“One of my favorite early memories was when we went to Lime Rock with the Porsche 962 for the first weekend and won,” noted Chris Dyson.  “It was such a great win.  We were a small crew back then and to come with a family team and run against the best in the business and win, that  is when we realized we had a future at the highest level.”

Rob Dyson won the first race he competed in, an SCCA regional at Watkins Glen, in a Datsun 510.  “I remember when it was just me and Pat Smith.  We would leave at 5:00 in the afternoon and drive all night to Nelson Ledges or Summit Point.  We would sleep in the truck since we were too late for a hotel.  I smile when I think about how much we did not know and how much we were learning every weekend.  Every chapter of our team’s history has been different, but at all times, there has always been that one constant spark of emotion of absolutely wanting to compete with passion and to win.”  For over three decades, that overriding passion has never wavered.

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY  May 24, 2013 –Rob and Chris Dyson  will be driving at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 25th, in the “Legends Day Honoring Parnelli Jones,” the day before the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500. Chris will be driving the 1982 Rick Mears PC-10 that Mears took to second place in the 1982 500 and won that season’s CART championship with, while Rob will be driving a 1967 Gerhardt with an iconic Ford four-cam V8.  This year’s Legends Day is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Parnelli Jones’ victory in the 1963 Indianapolis 500.  He will be driving the famous Watson/Offy roadster “Calhoun” that he won the 1963 500 with on Saturday morning. The Dysons and the vintage Indy cars will be on track from 9:30 AM to 10:15 AM.

Rob Dyson’s first trip to the Speedway was in 1961.  He often traces his love for racing to that memorable outing.  He recounts that “I was 15 and it was like nothing I had ever seen before. We took the bus around the Speedway and went to the museum and saw all the historical race cars.  It was an epiphany.  I remember saying that I wanted to be a part of this.  We went back the next year and there was a souvenir flag stand in our hotel room and I took it home and still have it on my bookcase.” 

“We have to thank Greg Ellif of GE Motorsport and car owner Jeff Urwin for this incredible opportunity,” said Chris Dyson.  “What better way to connect with a branch of the sport I have always loved, at a race I consider one of the greatest in the world. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience for me and my dad.  I fell in love with Indy car racing when I was a kid and I attended my first 500 twenty years ago in 1993. Our family has had the same seats for over 50 years. There is no other experience in racing like the Indy 500.

“Last year, my dad and I were at the 500 and we were making the rounds of the garages with all the vintage cars and it was really a feast for the eyes. We hooked up with a couple friends from the old IMSA days who are now in the car restoration business and they were running a few cars during the Legends day festivities last year.  It was great to see this old machinery in the flesh and running on the track. Greg Ellif, who runs the cars, was at Mazda Raceway two weekends ago and approached Rob and me and asked if we would be coming out to Indy early for the weekend and if we would like to drive some historic cars for the exhibition laps. There was no hesitation. To be driving cars with such history around the most famous race track in America on Memorial Day – we could not be more excited and are very grateful for the opportunity.”

MONTEREY, CA  May 11, 2013 –Dyson Racing retired early from the American Le Mans Monterey race here at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca today with fuel pressure problems. The team tried a number of times to fix the problem in the pits and back in the garage, but #16 Thetford/RACER Mazda Lola of Chris Dyson and Guy Smith retired two and a half hours into the four-hour race.

Success in racing only comes from constant advancement but progress is not always linear.  The team was running the new AER-developed Mazda P90 engine for the first time in a race. The evolution of the P80 engine features gasoline direct injection.  The engine produced strong results in testing prior to the race and Guy Smith qualified second in a competitive session that saw half a second cover the first three cars.  

The P90 delivers more horsepower, more torque, better drivability and better fuel economy. It is a responsive engine with all the inherent benefits that gasoline direct injection gives you,” said Andrew Saunders, Engineering Manager of Advanced Engine Research. “The fueling commands from the ECU are instantaneous and that carries more benefits for a restricted turbo charged engine than it does for any other engine application. In a GDI turbo engine, the fuel cuts you make are as instantaneous as the spark cuts which bring you on a more level playing field with normally aspirated engines. This is very good for traction control and all the drivability events you need on track.”

“The engine and hardware and electronics will go back to England, be put on the dyno test bed, and we will establish the root cause of today’s problem,” said Chris Dyson. “We are known for being independent and not running off the rack race cars. Historially, Dyson Racing has been about pushing the envelope and never standing still.  We made a big step forward this weekend in pace and will  further that with more testing before Lime Rock.”

“We have always prided ourselves on running equipment that other people do not have,” added team principal Rob Dyson.  “There are plusses and minuses to that but we prefer to have control over our racing destiny and develop our own equipment. Our engine and chassis combination is unique in the world.  In a racing world that is going more and more down the restrictive path of spec racing, we prefer to give race fans the excitement of the latest technology.”

LONG BEACH, CA  April 20, 2013 – On the perseverance continuum, race team owners must rate right off the scale.  Dyson Racing has more than thirty years of racing accomplishments to its credit.  By the nature of the sport, there will be races when the car will not finish the race.  Unfortunately that was the case today at the American Le Mans Series race on the streets of Long Beach. The #16 Thetford/RACER Lola Mazda car was retired thirty minutes into the race after making contact with the wall in the turn 11 hairpin going onto the front straight.  

“At this point, it is hard to pinpoint exactly what happened. We will look at the data, go over the car and evaluate what exactly took place,” said Chris Dyson. “We had just gone green after the first yellow of the race.  I was in second place and running well when the car did not turn in and just pushed into the wall at the hairpin.”

Dyson Racing has been competitive in the eight races here since the ALMS joined the IndyCar weekend, taking home six class or overall podiums on the streets of Long Beach.  Guy Smith qualified the #16 Dyson entry in second place yesterday and was looking forward to a classic Long Beach street fight.  “We are in a good position with this car this year.  We are in the fight,”  noted Smith.  “Last year was the first time we ran the larger front tires and it was a learning experience.  This year we have a car that works the tires and once you have tire temperatures, then you are concentrating on fine tuning the car and improving the balance. Your focus is on going quicker as opposed to figuring out the basics of how to drive the car.”

“We were in a position to do very well this weekend,” Dyson said.  “It is unfortunate but we will regroup and come back strongly at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The team will be testing before the next race.  We tested at Willow Springs before coming here and had a very good test on a track that is a pantheon of adrenaline and commitment. It was one of those tests that help define confidence for the remainder of the season. The season has just begun.  There are eight races left in our ten-race season and there are a lot more races to be won.”

2013 marks Dyson Racing’s thirtieth year in professional racing.  Rob Dyson started racing in the SCCA in 1974 and moved up to the professional ranks in 1983 in IMSA’s GTO class. He started racing a Porsche 962 in IMSA’s GTP class in 1985 and has been a main stay of top-line prototype racing ever since. 

LONG BEACH, CA  April 19, 2013 – The palm trees go by very quickly at 170 mph whether it is in Florida or California. The American Le Mans Series moved from east to west and from the longest to the shortest race of the year this weekend. Guy Smith qualified on the front row for tomorrow’s ALMS race here on the streets of Long Beach. Smith qualified a solid second on the eleven turn, 1.968 mile course alongside one of southern California’s more famous beaches.

“After this morning’s practice, I knew the car was solid,” said Smith.  “To beat the Muscle Milk Guys is good.  It is always comforting to be quick in qualifying but especially here because of the nature of the weekend.  We ran at 7:30 this morning and then did not go back out until after 6:00 PM to qualify. IndyCars have been on track all day and the weather is different so we are happy with the performance.”

Guy raced here in 1998 and 1999 in Indy Lights. “In ’98, it was my second street race and my second race in America and I ended up on pole. It was a very American experience: here you are in Los Angeles with all its history and Hollywood glamor.  This is just a great event and this is what makes American sports car racing so good:  you race on pretty much every type of circuits from wide open tracks like Sebring to street races here in Long Beach and Baltimore.”

On the way to Long Beach, Dyson Racing tested their #16 Mazda-powered Thetford/RACER entry at Willow Springs Raceway north of Los Angles.  They ended up breaking the twenty-four year old sports car track record set by the Toyota GTP car. “We went there with our Long Beach set-up and were not optimized for the track, so we were pleasantly surprised,” said Chris Dyson, “I have been fortunate to have done it twice now – once at Lime Rock in 2007 and now at Willow Springs.  It is satisfying because the GTP cars had a thousand horsepower and seven thousand pounds of downforce.”

Last weekend, Dyson raced at Silverstone with Michael Marsal in the combined World Endurance Championship and the European Le Mans Series weekend.  “It was a baptism by fire with the Greaves Motorsport crew,” said Dyson.  “Michael and I had not tested the Zytek and it rained the first two days we were there.  We struggled in Saturday’s ELMS race but we learned a lot and carried that over into the six-hour WEC race the next day and we stood on the podium at the end of the day. That was a great accomplishment for the team in a race with such a deep field and very well prepared cars.  This was the first time for Michael racing overseas and we came away with a successful result. We are looking forward to going back over to Europe and racing at Spa next month.

“Even though with my travel schedule I feel like I am in a time machine, our focus is on Long Beach and winning on one of racing’s more famous and iconic street courses.”

Dyson Racing was not able to duplicate their ALMS P1 points victory here from last year, retiring five hours into the 61st Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.  A drivetrain component failure sidelined the #16 Thetford/RACER Lola Mazda in the season-opening race for the ten-race American Le Mans Series.

“Approaching Cunningham Corner, there was a slight vibration,” recounted Guy Smith. “It did not get any better by the time I got onto the back straight, so I came into the pits and we took the car back to the garage to identify the problem.  It is frustrating as the car felt the best it has all week.  I took over from Chris and joined right behind the #13 Rebellion car and was able to catch him and was all over him for all of the stint.  It does give us the confidence that the changes we made to the car this week were positive.   A result like this makes us more determined to knuckle down and come back stronger.”

Guy’s co-driver Chris Dyson commented, “We had gone back and forth on our set up this weekend and the final spec we picked was pretty competitive.  During the race, in the heat of the day, we were just trying to match up the tire pressures for the conditions. The team had done a great job to give us a good car. On my second stint, we were able to match the Rebellion cars and then we made a couple more adjustments when Guy got in, and we were even quicker. So a frustrating start to the season, no question about it.  We will be doing some testing before Long Beach and we will regroup for our west coast swing.”

Joining Chris and Guy this weekend was long-term Dyson veteran, Butch Leitzinger.
“It was good to be back. It was like old times.  This is such a good cohesive group where everyone pitches in. A true racing family.  There really is no better group than Dyson Racing. It is just like I remember it.

2013 marks Dyson Racing’s thirtieth year in professional racing.  Rob Dyson started racing in the SCCA in 1974 and moved up to the professional ranks in 1983 in IMSA’s GTO class. He started racing a Porsche 962 in IMSA’s GTP class in 1985 and has been a main stay of top-line prototype racing ever since. 

The American Le Mans Series goes from the longest race of the year to the shortest in five weeks’ time when it races on the streets of Long Beach on April 20th. Last year, Guy Smith started from pole and Guy and Chris Dyson finished second. The race will be broadcast on ABC on April 21st at 1:00 PM ET.

Dyson Racing, winners of first place ALMS points in  P1 in last year’s 12 Hours of Sebring, will start the 61st editon of America’s most demanding long-distance sport car race in sixth place. Butch Leitzinger qualified the #16 Thetford/RACER Lola Mazda, posting a time a second quicker than the car’s previous best in practice.  Butch is sharing the driving duties this weekend with Chris Dyson and Guy Smith, last year’s Sebring P1 winners. 

With tomorrow’s race, Butch will move into second place on the list of all time Sebring starts with twenty-one to his credit. “My first 12 Hours was 1989 with my dad’s GTU team.  It was the first time here as a team. The clutch went, I spun the car, we had a flat tire, and then we dropped a valve and ran on five cylinders. It was a rough baptism to Sebring, but the next year we won the GTU class and began a string of three wins in a row for the team.” 

Guy Smith is no stranger to Sebring having thirteen starts to his credit.  His first race with Dyson Racing was here in 2005.  “I have run every race here since 2000.  It was actually my second-ever sports car race. My first ever was at Daytona with Stefan Johansson.   Daytona was pretty big, but when I came here, I found an atmosphere which is probably second only to Le Mans.    I very much enjoy this race.  It is nice to have an off season, but by January, you are itching to get back in the car.  There is nothing better than stepping off a plane nto the warm weather and arriving at Sebring.”  

Chris Dyson first raced here in 2002 and won in LMP675 the following year.  2013 marks his twelfth year here. “One of my better memories was the race Guy and I had in 2008 against Penske’s RS Spyders.  We were solidly in contention and ended up leading a good part of the race.  It was an exciting race for us. And last year’s result was just fantastic too!”

 Joining Dyson Racing at Sebring and for the 2013 season is Michelin Tires.  The team ran Michelins from 2005 – 2010. “Michelin is pleased to add one of North America’s most storied endurance racing teams, Dyson Racing, as a Michelin technical partner team,” stated Chris Baker, Director, Motorsports Michelin North America.  Dyson added, “It is a thrill to be back working with Michelin and they are definitely pushing the envelope with their technologies and   I think we are going to be very competitive together this year.” 

2013 marks Dyson Racing’s thirtieth year in professional racing.  Rob Dyson started racing in the SCCA in 1974 and moved up to the professional ranks in 1983 in IMSA’s GTO class. He started racing a Porsche 962 in IMSA’s GTP class in 1985 and has been a main stay of top-line prototype racing ever since. 

Dyson Racing has renewed its long-term partnership with Mazda for the 2013 American Le Mans Series season as it prepares to recapture the P1 crown it won in 2011. The #16 Thetford/RACER Mazda Lola entry with Chris Dyson and Guy Smith will be Mazda-powered for the fifth year.  Mazda won its first P1 victory at Mid-Ohio in 2010 and the manufacturer’s championship the following year. Last year, the team bookended the season with first place ALMS P1 points at the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda, and won at Road America in the closest ever overall finish in ALMS history. 

“As we look forward to the unified world of road racing in 2014, we still have a full-season of great ALMS action in 2013,” said John Doonan, Director Mazda Motorsports.  “We’re happy that the Dyson team will be racing their Mazda MZR-R powered Lola for what we anticipate will be the final chapter for this car and engine.  From Sebring to Petit Le Mans, and our favorite stop at Mazda Raceway, we look forward to adding additional race wins into the Mazda logbook. I’m sure the Dyson team will be going all out to recapture the magic of their 2011 season when they brought home the drivers, team, and manufacturers championship for Mazda.”

“We are heading into our fifth year with Mazda and any relationship that has that kind of tenure is to be celebrated,” noted Chris Dyson, Vice President and Sporting Director.  “We are fortunate to have their support and it has been a hugely beneficial relationship.  AER have been working on some nice engine upgrades over the winter and their work on the Mazda program has been outstanding.  We are looking forward to putting together another championship effort for them.”

Guy Smith returns for his ninth year with Dyson Racing.  The 2005 12 Hours of Sebring was his first race with the team.  “I’m really excited about driving for Dyson Racing again this year: they are ultra-professional but also a friendly operation. It should be a good year,” stated Smith. “I tested some developments at the test at Sebring last month which were a step in the right direction and we have some engine tweaks coming later in the season which will help us. It will be competitive with us and the Muscle Milk team being joined by the Swiss-based Rebellion team, who I raced for at Le Mans in 2010 and ’11. Sebring is always a huge challenge every year but it is a brilliant race – it epitomizes what sports car racing is all about.  The track at almost four miles in length is long, while its bumpy and fast nature, combined by a high ambient temperature, makes it a physically demanding race for the driver and puts the car through a real stern test.”

“The biggest credit I can give to Guy it that he is every bit as motivated and is faster than when we started driving together almost ten years ago,” said  Dyson.  “All you can ever ask from your teammate is that they give 100 percent and with Guy, that is never in doubt. Guy is incredibly supportive as a teammate.  He is a team player and when the chips are down, he knows how to get it done.  Everyone knows in pit lane when he comes in from a race stint or a qualifying run, he has given it everything he has.  There are never excuses, just performance.  And that is why we’ve worked so well together.”

2013 marks the thirtieth year in professional sports car racing for Dyson Racing and the twenty-sixth for the team at Sebring.  Butch Leitzinger will be joining Chris Dyson and Guy Smith in the #16 entry for the sixty-first annual 12 Hours of Sebring and the team is working on running the #20 Dyson entry in subsequent races of the 2013 season.

Butch Leitzinger Joins Dyson Racing Line-Up for the 12 Hours of Sebring 

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY February 8, 2013 – Dyson Racing is celebrating its thirtieth year in professional sports car racing this year.  It is fitting that long-time Dyson Racing driver, Butch Leitzinger, will be joining Chris Dyson and Guy Smith in the #16 Thetford/Norcold entry for the sixty-first annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 16th.  An eighteen-year veteran of the team, Butch first drove for team in the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona.  He has won three championships for the team, placed second four times and third twice.  

One of racing’s more celebrated sports car drivers, Butch has thirty-four victories under the Dyson Racing banner, including two wins in the 24 Hours of Daytona. “It is terrific having Butch back with us,” stated Chris Dyson.  “He tested with us in January and he was immediately back  on the pace in just a matter of laps. As always, he is remarkable with the crew and gives terrific feedback on the car.  He is ‘no maintenance’ in the best sense of the word.  It is just like old times really. Butch is one of the best.” 

Butch celebrated his 100th American Le Mans Series race last year at Lime Rock.  Asked to talk about his many years driving with Butch, James Weaver said, “As a driver, he combines searing pace with an astonishingly safe pair of hands. As a team mate, he is totally reliable, trustworthy and unfailingly gracious.  Butch is an enormous asset to Dyson Racing. His speed alone would have guaranteed him a place on the team, but it is his ability to jump into the car, with any set-up, and within literally two laps, extract a time from it that makes him such a devastating asset.  It was this ability, more than anything, that allowed him to provide such a crucial ingredient, vital to the team’s success in racing

Butch was a full time Dyson driver from 1995 through 2009 and drove the last two races of 2011 for the team. Butch recently tested with the team and commented, “We had a test at Sebring a couple of weeks ago, and when I walked into the tent on the first day, it felt like I had never been away.  There is such a sense of camaraderie among the entire team, and everyone not only pulls their own weight, but chips in to help everyone else.  And we all enjoy a good laugh and have a great time together.  “I’m so pleased to be joining Chris and Guy for Sebring.  They have done an excellent job in developing the car, and we saw some significant gains at the test, and I think that we can continue on that path.  I’m especially happy to be taking part in the P1’s swan song at Sebring.  I have three second place finishes in the 12 Hour with Dyson Racing.  Perhaps we can end the era of big horsepower, big downforce cars with a win.”

Strong Petit Le Mans Close to Dyson Season
BRASELTON, GA October 20, 2012 – Dyson Racing ended the 2012 ten-race American Le Mans Series season as they started it by taking first place ALMS P1 points in the Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda. Chris Dyson, Guy Smith and Steven Kane got the maximum ALMS points in their #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace/Thetford entry at both the spring 12 Hours of Sebring and the fall endurance classic held here at Road Atlanta.
The #20 Dyson Racing entry of Tony Burgess, Mark Paterson and Chris McMurry were third in ALMS P1 points after the conclusion of the 394 lap race. They held down second place in P1 for over six hours of the nine-hour thirty-seven minute race until electrical problems retired their car an hour and a half from the end.
Chris McMurry summed up their race: “We ran a good strong race, with good lap times. Nobody put a wheel wrong and everybody was super smart and it was paying off. It was a shame we could not run to the end, but all three drivers said the exact same thing which is we all had a great time.” Tony Burgess echoed similar sentiments: “We were in very good position to have a good result but unfortunately our race ended with
Click for More Hi Res something beyond our control. But overall we had a very disciplined and good race.” Mark Paterson, who set the car’s fastest time, said “Tony and Chris drove fantastically. There was no ego and everyone was sharing. The three of us very much enjoyed driving with each other.”
This was the second race for the Flybrid KERS Hybrid system on the #16 car. “We made good strides with the system this week and will continue to work with it over the winter,” said Smith. “Its little bursts help when you are trying to work your way through the slower cars.” This was the first time Steven Kane has driven a car with a hybrid system. “My main focus this weekend was doing the best job I could for Chris and Guy and help them in their fight for the championship,” he said. “So my main battle was getting through traffic cleanly and the KERS helped make that a more confident exercise.”
The 2012 ALMS P1 championships came down to the last race of the year. The team came to Road Atlanta with a mathematical chance to repeat their 2011 titles, but Pickett Racing clinched the championship by virtue of completing seventy percent of the race distance. Chris Dyson and Guy Smith finished second in the Drivers Championship. Dyson drivers occupied the next five championship positions with Eric Lux third, Michael Marsal fourth, Steven Kane fifth, Tony Burgess sixth, Johnny Mowlem seventh and Mark Paterson and Chris McMurry ninth. The team took second in the Team Championship and Mazda took home second place in the Engine Manufactures Championship as did Dunlop in the Tire Manufacturer Championship.
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Petit Le Mans, page two
“Our congratulations to Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr on their championships. And for Greg and Penny and the whole Pickett family and race team, this is a great accomplishment and is well-deserved. There is no one else in racing that we have more respect for and they are great friends and competitors,” said Chris Dyson. “Having won the championship last year, we know the week in and week out focus it takes and how much work it requitres and how very special it feels when you win it. We are very happy for them.
“We would not have been able to take the
fight to them as we did this year without
the support of our partners who share our passion for competition at the highest level. This is our fourth year with Mazda and they have been supportive throughout. Advanced Engine Research (AER) has been providing our winning horsepower for eight years and Dunlop has worked hard throughout the season.
“Our thanks and appreciation to all the drivers in the 20 car who contributed to our championship fight. Michael Marsal and Eric Lux showed they have what it takes to win races with their victory at Baltimore and our seasoned mix of Johnny Mowlem, Tony Burgess, Mark Patterson and Chris McMurry were a pleasure to work with and we welcome them to the Dyson family.”
In addition to taking home first place ALMS P1 points at the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 15th Annual Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda, the team was one-two in P1 at Baltimore and won at Road America. Guy Smith set a record with the closest ever overall finish in ALMS history at Road America with his 0.083 margin of victory over Lucas Luhr, while Chris Dyson celebrated his 100th ALMS start at the following race at Baltimore. The team had a total of sixteen podiums this year and won their 200th podium at Mid-Ohio in August.
“I am proud of this team. Michael White, Peter Weston, Vince Wood and everybody who makes this organization such a special group,” Team Principal Rob Dyson said. “They all put in long hours and worked tirelessly. With their effort, we were able to take the championship down to the last race of the season. I am very happy for Greg Pickett. It is competitors like him whose passion makes this sport possible. They are worthy victors and share our view that these cars produce the most exciting racing in the country. I am optimistic that we will be able to keep the brightness that makes our sport unique in the future. The 2013 season starts tonight.”

Reigning American Le Mans Series champions Dyson Racing qualified third and fourth for the season-ending 15th Annual Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda. The 1,000 mile/ten-hour race will decide the championship with Chris Dyson and Guy Smith thirteen points out of first. Dyson drivers occupy second through sixth in the championship tally.

Guy Smith qualified in third place in the #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace/Thetford entry, one second off pole. “We knew that we would not have the ultimate pace in qualifying but we have done enough ten-hour races to know that anything can happen,” said Smith. “All three of us, Chris Dyson, Steven Kane and myself, have been comfortably fast in the car and are confident of a good race tomorrow. We have a good race car and will focus on what is in our control, our own performance, and the results will come.”

Mark Patterson qualified the #20 Dyson Racing entry fourth. Sharing the car with veteran drivers Tony Burgess and Chris McMurry, he joked “that between us, we have 164 years of driving experience in this car! Seriously, it was a very satisfying qualifying session. Vince Wood, our race engineer, said we would break into the 12’s and we did. He deserves all the credit. He made simple little changes one at a time and he gave us a great car.”

New to Dyson Racing this weekend is Chris McMurry. He noted that “to be perfectly honest, this is the easiest car I have driven. It is so responsive. Things that I have had to diligently think about in the past, such as doing turn twelve flat, is just a no brainer in this car. The Dyson team has done an amazing job with this car. I think the “geriatric trio” will do very well tomorrow.  “This is my first time driving for Dyson Racing and it is different than what I thought. The difference is the hospitality, the character of the people and the friendliness. They embrace you with open arms and are supportive and encouraging and focused on helping everyone get the result we want. I have not experienced that with any team at this level.”

Commenting on the championship battle, Dyson said, “If this year has taught us anything, it is until the checkered flag drops, it is not over. We will execute as we have been doing all year. Both cars have been immaculately prepared and are ready for the second longest race of the year. Besides, we have Steven Kane with us, who drove with us for our first win of the year at the 12 Hours of Sebring. We think of him as our Irish good luck charm! It has been an amazing year with good competition the whole way with some great races. We will close out the season as we started by pushing the Muscle Milk guys and showing the fans what top-level prototype racing is all about.”

Dyson Racing Adds to Driver Line-Up for Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda

Dyson Racing will be bolstering its bench for the championship-deciding Petit Le Mans on October 20th, the tenth and last race of the American Le Mans Series season. Reining ALMS champions Chris Dyson and Guy Smith enter the ten-hour, 1,000 mile endurance classic at Road Atlanta thirteen points back in the P1 driver’s championship and the team is nine points out in the P1 team championship.

Returning to join Dyson and Smith in the #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace/Thetford entry will be Steven Kane while Chris McMurry will partner Tony Burgess and Mark Patterson in the #20 Dyson Racing entry. This will be the inaugural Dyson race for McMurry.
McMurry commented, “The combination of one of the world’s leading teams and one of the world’s greatest sports car races was too hard to pass up. I’m very familiar with Petit Le Mans having run it about ten times. And I know Dyson all too well having competed against them for so many races over ten years. I’ll say that I’m glad to be on their side this time around!”

“We’re very happy to have Chris join the team,” Chris Dyson said. “He’s a very proven driver, with a solid pair of hands and we have seen firsthand over the years how steady he and Tony are as a pairing. Adding Mark to the mix, the 20 car has a good chance to score a solid result at the Petit.”

Chris McMurry brings experienced competence to the Petit Le Mans race weekend. He has raced in sixty-four races in the American Le Mans Series since his first Petit in 2001. The ALMS veteran finished fourth in the P1 championship last year with five consecutive P1 podiums to his credit including a second in P1 at the Petit Le Mans. He started racing in 1998 in the Star Mazda Series and recorded his first wins in the ALMS in 2002, taking three wins in nine starts in P2. He added three more P2 wins in 2005, including the class win at the 12 Hours of Sebring and finished second in the championship. He moved to P1 in 2006 with three class podiums his first year. No stranger to endurance racing, he has raced twice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: his first in 2003 and again in 2008.

Mark Paterson made his Dyson Racing debut last month at Virginia International Raceway and returns to the #20 car line-up for the season ending race. Like McMurry, he brings Petit Le Mans expertise to the mix, including a second place P2 finish last year with Stefan Johansson and Zak Brown. Rounding out the driving trio will be Tony Burgess. He first drove with the team at his home track at Mosport, where he finished third in P1, followed by a third place finish at the four-hour Road America race.

Steven Kane will be back again sharing Dyson driving duties. Kane co-drove earlier this year with Dyson and Smith at the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring, where they won first place ALMS P1 points. “Kaney” is a fan favorite who made a big splash in the series when he co-drove the sister #20 car last year and won the Baltimore Grand Prix in only his fifth race with the team.

“It’s great to come into the last race of the season with a shot at winning the championship,” team principal Rob Dyson said. “It’s not going to be easy, but I’m confident we have two strong cars and the team is executing better than ever. It’s a long race and we have seen over the years, anything can happen at the Petit—one of our favorite events.”

Double Podium

ALTON, VA September 15, 2012 – Chris Dyson, Guy Smith and Johnny Mowlem finished second overall and second in P1 at the first ever American Le Mans Series race here at Virginia International Raceway. Michael Marsal and Mark Peterson made it a double P1 podium for Dyson Racing with their third place P1 finish after four hours of racing at the American Le Mans Series VIR 240.

The #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace/Thetford car qualified second and ran second for 92 laps of the 135 lap race. Chris Dyson started the car and drove the first 45 minute stint. Johnny Mowlem did a yeoman’s middle stint of over two hours and handed it over Guy Smith who took the checkered flag.

Dyson commented that “at the end of the day we did not have the pace today to really contend so our strategy was to execute and make sure we got both cars home in the points, which we accomplished. We introduced the Flybrid KERS hybrid system this weekend and our first impressions are very favorable. It is in its early days yet, and we will continue to optimize it for the Petit (Le Mans).”

The #20 Dyson Racing entry had a more eventful race. It spun at the first turn on the first lap and eventually retired towards race end with a heat-damaged wiring harness. It completed more than 70% of the race and earned third place P1 points. Mark Patterson started the race. “The front two cars went side by side into the first turn,” said Patterson. “I did not want to run into them and affect the championship race. The brakes and tires were cold and I spun around slowly and with the close quarters at the beginning of a race, a couple of cars made contact with us.” Patterson brought the car in and the crew replaced the front nose and rear clip and resumed with a solid double stint. Mark’s co-driver Michael Marsal commended the team on getting the car back out quickly. Marsal added “it was a pretty decent race car when I got into it after Mark’s first two hours in the car and I just wanted to do well for the team and get back as much time I could. Mark drove a very fast stint and my hats off to him for his first time in the car.”

The 2012 ALMS season ends in five weeks’ time at the ten-hour, thousand miles, Petit Le Mans. “The championship is still to be decided and anything can happen,” noted Guy Smith. “We are the current champions and we will take the fight to the Muscle Milk team at Petit.” Chris Dyson added, “We kept the championship alive today and we will go to Petit and continue on with relentless execution, and push for a strong finish to the year.”

Prototype Sports Cars in Their Natural Habitat
ALTON, VA September 14, 2012 – Guy Smith was a front-row qualifier today for the inaugural American Le Mans Series VIR 240. The #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace/Thetford entry will start in second place for the four-hour race here in the pastoral hills of northern Virginia.
Chris Dyson qualified third in the #20 Dyson Racing entry driven by Michael Marsal and Mark Patterson this weekend. “I will start the 16 car and will only get points in that car, but with this being a four-hour race, I will be in reserve if needed on our sister car,” explained Dyson. “I have to say it is like getting back with an old friend. I have not driven last year’s car in over eight months, but credit goes to Vince Wood and the guys who have done a really good job of
Click for More evolving the set up. Mike and Mark should have a great run tomorrow as they have been remarkably fast and consistent all weekend.”
“The driver in me would have liked to been on pole, but we have a car that is comfortable to drive and will be benign on this high speed course tomorrow,” said Smith. “We will make sure we have a clean race, execute on the pits stops and driver changes and think in terms of the championship.” Dyson Racing is the reigning ALMS Champions. After eight races with two to go, the team is nine points out of first in the driver’s championship and five out in the team championship. Dyson drivers occupy second through sixth in the championship tally.
Joining Dyson Racing this weekend for the first time is Mark Patterson in the #20 car. “I have raced here probably a dozen times in cars ranging from Star Mazda to Daytona Prototypes,” noted Patterson. “But this is the first time in a P1 car. What an experience! It literally changes the track. It is a fast track, 170 mph on the back straight, but the car is good with good speed in the tough stuff.” Michael Marsal will be co-driving with Patterson tomorrow. He won his first P1 victory two weekends ago in Baltimore and has finished on the podium in all his races for Dyson Racing. “I have never had more fun driving a race car than this weekend,” added Marsal.
Returning to the Dyson line-up is Johnny Mowlem who will share driver duties with Dyson and Smith in the 16 car. “This is an amazing track. It is very fast and the speed differential between us and the slower cars through the Hurry Ups at the top of the hill is phenomenal – it is almost like an arcade game out there,” commented Mowlem. “We are pulling close to four g’s going through that sequence of corners, the quickest set of corners I have ever driven. It is like the famous Eau Rouge corner on Belgium’s F1 track but having an extra Eau Rouge right after it.”
Dyson Racing is running the Flybrid KERS hybrid system for the first time at VIR. Guy Smith noted that “it is in its early stages yet and we have just started developing the system. As a driver, it does not really feel any different than normal which is a compliment to the guys at Flybrid. I have not had to change my driving style or car set up to accommodate it, so that is good credit to them.”

Dyson Racing to Run Flybrid KERS Hybrid System

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY September 12, 2012 – The corollaries that racing is always pushing the boundaries of technology and Dyson Racing never stands still meet this weekend at the American Le Mans Series VIR 240. The defending series champions will be running a newly-developed Kinetic Energy Recovery System in the #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace/Thetford P1 entry at Virginia International Raceway. The Flybrid Automotive Limited KERS system is based on a high-speed, lightweight flywheel that is incorporated into the car’s bell housing and stores braking energy for later use under acceleration.

“We have been researching and working on the KERS hybrid system with Flybrid since the end of last season,” said Chris Dyson, Vice President and Sporting Director. “We have done extensive dyno testing and have tested the system in the car. We had encouraging enough results and will be running it in the car this weekend at VIR and at the season-ending Petit Le Mans. We are in close contention for the championship, and as a race team, we are always looking to better our performance.”

“The ALMS is the leader in green racing and the perfect series to showcase this technology,” Dyson added. “The regulations are encouraging of regenerative technology and up until this point, there have been very few customer-friendly options. Flybrid was very interested in developing their product and linking up with a front-line organization. We were looking for the right partners for this kind of project and we when we found each other, it was a very natural fit from the beginning.”

The Kinetic Energy Recovery System used in the Dyson P1 car is the first of its kind to race outside of Europe. Developed specifically for th
is application by UK based Flybrid Automotive, the KERS uses a small high speed rotating flywheel to store otherwise wasted braking energy and return it to the wheels to assist the car’s next acceleration.
The steel and carbon fiber energy storage flywheel weighs just 11 lbs. (5kg) and can rotate at up to 60,000 RPM inside an evacuated chamber to allow storage of up to 134 BHP (100 kW) for up to five seconds during each braking maneuver.

Mark Patterson Joins Dyson Racing Line-Up for VIR and Petit Le Mans

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY September 10, 2012 – Dyson Racing will be welcoming a new driver at the inaugural American Le Mans Series VIR 240 this weekend. Mark Patterson will be joining the team for the four-hour race at Virginia International Raceway on September 15th and also for the season-ending Petit Le Mans on October 20th. He will be co-driving with Michael Marsal in the #20 Dyson Racing entry at VIR.

Mark has an international racing resume, having raced at tracks in the US, Canada, Belgium, China, Mexico, Australia, Holland, France, Dubai, Slovakia, England, Spain, and Italy. He started racing fifteen years ago in the Skip Barber Race Series, graduated to Star Mazda and then joined Michael Shank Racing for five years, racing Daytona Prototypes with two wins at Utah and New Jersey to his credit, along with a second place finish in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2006. He is a two time ProAm series champion and Jim Trueman Award winner. The last two years have seen him racing around the world. In 2010 he drove an Audi R8 for United Autosports in the FIA European GT3 series and in 2011 he raced again with United Autosports in a McLaren MP4-12C in the Blancpain Endurance Series, co-driving with Mark Blundell and Zak Brown. His most recent American Le Mans Series start was last year with Oreca in P2 at the Petit Le Mans where he came in second in P2 with Stefan Johansson and Zak Brown.

“Mark’s history of stability and longevity with teams speaks to his positive contributions to the teams he has driven for,” said Chris Dyson, Vice President and Sporting Director for Dyson Racing. “He quickly got up to speed at our most recent test and impressed myself and our engineers with his consistency. His sports car and long distance racing experience will be positive additions to the team at VIR and at the world-class ten-hour Petit Le Mans where he did well last year.”

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime to race with the Dysons, a team owned by longstanding friends with a branded name of success in ALMS racing,” added Mark Patterson. “I could not be more excited. When we tested, I was encouraged at how quickly the lap times came down and at how developed the car is. I am looking forward to driving with Michael Marsal at VIR and racing again at Petit, one of the great races in our sport.”

Dyson Racing enters the VIR race weekend with two consecutive first place P1 finishes in the win column: Michael Marsal and Eric Lux in the #20 Dyson Racing entry at the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge over Labor Day weekend, and Chris Dyson and Guy Smith in the #16 ModSpace/Thetford entry at Road America August 18th. Chris Dyson and Guy Smith are currently second in the season’s championship, nine points out of first.

Historic Sports Car Merger

September 5, 2012 – It was announced today at Daytona Beach, FL, that GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series will merge under common ownership, uniting professional sports car racing in North America under a single platform. There will be a blending of each series’ personnel, technical rules, officiating, communications, marketing, scheduling and broadcasting.   GRAND-AM and the ALMS will continue to operate with separate schedules in 2013, with a combined schedule in 2014. The 2014 schedule of tracks will be based on  market importance, historical significance and popularity among competitors and fans.

There will be a merging of leadership with the newly constituted Board of Directors responsible for  strengthening the areas of race operations, competition, communication, marketing and sales, as they oversee both series in 2013.

The class structure from 2014 on  will be determined with the input of the competitive stakeholders and will be aligned with the needs of the teams, manufactures, television and sponsors.

Talks are being held to maintain a link with the ACO and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The goal would be to retain a strong and cooperative relationship, including a close association to GT rules and involvement of the Series’ teams at Le Mans.

Rob Dyson, Team Principal:
“The history of sports car racing in America has centered around sophisticated performance and innovation. Dyson Racing has raced top-line prototypes for three decades and the  variety of technology and competitors during that period has defined the  sport and produced the  memories that sustain its growth today and propel its future.  We anticipate that this  historic merger will produce sports car racing that embraces the  diversity that has made our racing a fan favorite, with world-wide legitimacy.  There  are currently twelve auto and engine manufactures plus four tire manufactures in our series.  We expect the  newly combined series will produce an even  more enhanced arena of value for manufacturers and privateers alike.”

Chris  Dyson, Vice President and Sporting Director:
“The best mergers strengthen.  This combination has the  potential to be a significant milepost in the  history of sports car racing and to foster a period reminiscent of our sport’s glory days.  The addition of GRAND-AM’s historic tracks to IMSA’s existing set of iconic tracks will only reinforce the  appeal to fans, competitors and manufacturers. We are optimistic that with a continued emphasis on technical advancement, variety, high levels of on-track performance, close competition and a welcoming paddock atmosphere, unified sports car racing in North  America is about to enter a new era – one of long term strength.  There  are always challenges involved with change, but Dyson Racing will continue to work with all in our sport to ensure the  strongest possible future.”

First P1 Win for Michael Marsal and Eric Lux as Points Race Tightens

BALTIMORE, MD September 1, 2012 – It was probably one of the more unconventional races in American Le Mans Series history, but in the end, Dyson Racing was first and second in P1 with Michael Marsal and Eric Lux taking home the honors in the #20 Dyson Racing entry. It was the first P1 victory for Michael and Eric and a repeat of last year which also saw the #20 car’s drivers take their first series win here in the streets of Baltimore. The #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace/Thetford car of Chris Dyson and Guy Smith was second in P1, tightening the point’s race and adding to the momentum from the team’s win at Road America two weeks ago.

While the #20 car was on the pre-race grid, a spectator set off the fire extinguisher system in the car. The team was able to run back to the pits and install a new system with two minutes to spare. At the race start, Michael nudged the car into the tire wall in the first turn. By the time he restarted, he was in 29th and last place, but he took the car from last to first in P1 in his hour-long stint in his first race at Baltimore. “At the start, I was still thinking about the fire bottle and I looked up and saw the number 4 brake marker and we usually brake at the 5. Luckily the car was not hurt too badly and I was able to get in the groove and started clicking off the laps. I was more aggressive than normal as I wanted to show my crew guys that I was going to get them back to the front.”

Michael’s co-driver Eric Lux commented that “last year I finished second here.” (in LMPC on his way to the LMPC championship). “I wanted to improve on that and Mike handed me a great car. This track is very abusive on engines and tires and the Mazda engine did not miss a beat. Our Dunlop tires performed perfectly. Rob Dyson is our strategist and he called a great race today and I have to thank Rob and Chris for this opportunity.”

“Eric did a terrific job of picking up the pace that Mike had set,” said Rob Dyson. “We congratulate them on their first P1 win and we expect it to be the first of many.”

The #16 car contended with handling issues all day, but closed the point’s gap when the Muscle Milk car finished third in P1 after electrical issues bedeviled their race today. With two races to go, only eight points now separate the two teams. “We did not have the pace to contend for an outright win today, but we put ourselves in a position to capitalize on our competitor’s misfortunes,” said Chris Dyson, who celebrated his 100th ALMS race today. “We were able to add to the points tally and close up the championship gap and I view that as a real positive. I think it is great for Dyson Racing, Dunlop and Mazda to come out of here with a 1-2 and we are in real contention to win this championship.”

The penultimate round of the season will be held in two weeks’ time at Virginia International Raceway on September 15th. It will be the first race for the ALMS at VIR.

Street Wise Speed

BALTIMORE, MD August 31, 2012 – Guy Smith set the pace in the #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace entry in the morning’s first practice session today for the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge. In the afternoon, he exchanged fastest laps with Lucas Luhr four times in qualifying before Luhr finally claimed pole on the two-mile course that runs through the heart of downtown Baltimore and along the Inner Harbor. It was a two-three qualifying effort for Dyson Racing as Eric Lux qualified the #20 entry a close third.
“This is the kind of track where if you really hustle the car, you can gain half a second. We gave it a good shot today and the car was closer most of the session than I thought it would be,” Guy commented after qualifying. Guy won the pole here last year, part of a one- two Dyson qualifying effort that preceded a one-two Dyson Racing finish the next day at the inaugural Grand Prix of Baltimore.

“There were a few red flags in the afternoon practice session that took away valuable track time,” said Eric. “It took me the beginning part of qualifying to understand different areas of the track and figure where I could maximize the time. I went for it and we put in a good time. I came in and bled down the tires to give it another go and we only had one flying lap after that and I think if we had one more lap it would have been close.”

The abbreviated practice sessions were not the only challenge of the day as the teams battled temperatures in the high nineties. “The heat makes a big difference in the slower corners and with mid-corner understeer in general,” said Vince Wood, the race engineer for the #20 car of Michael Marsal and Eric Lux. “The more you depend on down force, the more the heat takes away performance. The track surface gets very hot and the more the boundary layer (the heat waves you see coming off the track) rises underneath the car, the less downforce you have. So you try to get the car as low as possible so that the tunnels can work, but then you run up against the problems presented by the bumpy nature of street courses. Plus the hotter the track, the less grip you have anyway, so it is a challenge all the way around. But if you can get your car working in the heat, a lot of times other people do not hit it as well, and you can really benefit.”

Chris Dyson Celebrates his 100th ALMS Race at Baltimore

“Our engineering strength has grown  tremendously and organizationally we have evolved and our team’s management and execution under Mike White is the strongest and most cohesive we have ever  had. We are more prepared now than we have ever  been for growing the  business and taking on new projects, and that excites me and my dad  tremendously. And we are still very much a family team
in pretty  much every respect, and we are always looking forward to the  next frontier. It has been a great run and I am so thankful for all of it.”